Metal chimney with ceramic lining

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to extruded structural members snapped together to form a metallic chimney for surrounding a ceramic tile lining. The metallic chimney comprises two pairs of extruded members wherein each pair is identical in configuration. Each member has an inturned flange at one side extending along its full length which is turned back on itself to form an open ended slot extending outwardly of the member. A protuberance is arranged within the slot for engaging with a catch. The opposite side of each member is provided with a catch for engaging with the protuberance of an adjacent member. The members are alternately positioned to form a column with the catch at one side of each member engaging with the protuberance in the slot of the side of an adjacent member.

United States Patent 2,916,054 12/1959 Callan 138/162 X 3,089,521 5/1963 Paiement 138/163 X 3,206,898 9/1965 Schroyer 52/588 UX 3,363,369 l/l968 Miller 52/219 X Primary ExaminerWil1iam F. ODea Assistant Examiner-P. D. Ferguson Attorney-Warren F. B. Lindsley ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to extruded structural members snapped together to form a metallic chimney for surrounding a ceramic tile lining. The metallic chimney comprises two pairs of extruded members wherein each pair is identical in configuration. Each member has an intumed flange at one side extending along its full length which is turned back on itself to form an open ended slot extending outwardly of the member. A protuberance is arranged within the slot for engaging with a catch. The opposite side of each member is provided with a catch for engaging with the protuberance of an adjacent member. The members are alternately positioned to fonn a column with the catch at one side of each member engaging with the protuberance in the slot of the side of an adjacent member.

PATENTED JAN 4 I972 INVENTOR ['W/S' 2 k/A/sfr ATTORNEY METAL CHIMNEY WITH CERAMIC LINING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally constructed vertical flues or stacks such as the commonly employed metal or brick stacks and chimneys used for evacuating and venting gaseous matter in conjunction with fireplaces, furnaces and boilers are expensive and bulky to construct if built to eliminate fire hazards due to heat conduction and dissipation. Protective covers have been used for eliminating fire hazards due to overheating or rupture of a smoke pipe enclosed thereby but these devices have been custom built, costly to assemble and did not add to the beauty and decorum of the building.

1. Field of the Invention Accordingly, this invention is directed to the use of extrusions in the building and assembling of completely fireproof preformed members which are snapped together to form a ventilated protective cover and shield for columns such as fireplace, furnace and boiler flues or chimneys.

2. Description of the Prior Art Chimney coverings including protective covers for smoke pipes have been provided but each have required the services of workers experienced in the trades. Because of the requirement to use skilled labor and the number of operations to assemble the prior art structures and the amount of material used, the application of chimney coverings was time-consuming and expensive. Many times its use was avoided by merely making the flue or chimney bigger and bulky to withstand the heat accompanying the conduction of hot gases.

The need for reducing building costs to make modern housing available for all is evident. The features of lightness, simplicity of construction and durability has a great influence on reducing costs and this together with the use of unskilled labor in assembly aids in making the best possible housing available at lower costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention claimed a new and improved highly economical but efficient and practical chimney is provided which may be installed with a minimum of manipulation and parts by unskilled labor.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a new and improved chimney.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved chimney forrned of two pairs of extruded parts wherein flanges along one side which are turned back on themselves form a closed covering for the snap locking means of the mating parts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved flue or chimney formed of two pairs of similarly shaped members which are locked together when assembled in alternate arrangement and are held locked against disengagement by the configuration of the engaging edges of the members.

A still further object of this invention is to provide two pairs of extrusions having generally open channel configurations which may be locked together in alternate side to side arrangement to form a flue or chimney enclosure wherein the engaging and interlocking edges of the extrusions are reinforced by the chimney lining enclosed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view of a column enclosing assembly and embodying he invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3-3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference FIG. 1 discloses a hollow chimney 10 which may serve as a flue for fireplace, furnace or boiler use. The chimney comprises a platform 12 having a flange or collar 13 integrally formed therewith.

The chimney comprises two pairs of coacting extruded metallic members 15, 16, and 17, 18. Members 15 and 16 are identical extruded parts and members 17 and 18 are also identical extruded parts. These members are preferably formed of aluminum or other material capable of being extruded and possessing desirable structural and ornamental properties. Each member of each pair, namely 15, 16 and I7, 18 is of uniform cross sectional shape and size throughout its length and is shown as being of sufficient length to extend from the base to the top of chimney 10. In the following description like parts of like members are identified by like reference characters to aid in recognizing similarity.

Each of members 15, 16 and 17, 18 comprise a right angle section. Members 15, 16 and 17, 18 are each provided at one side with a flange 19. Each flange 19 is turned back on itself to form an open ended slot 20 extending outwardly of the member. Flange 19 of each member is arranged to extend substantially parallel with the section of the member from which it extends.

At the flange end of each member and within slot 20 is provided a proturberance such as a longitudinal bead or rib 23.

At the other single ended side of members 15, 16, 17 and 18 is provided a catch 25 which mates with rib 23 to engage with a snap fit to lock the members together.

As noted from the drawing each rib 23 is formed to lie within the slot formed by a flange and when the catch mates in snap engagement with it interlocking of the parts occurs within the slot. This arrangement keeps the interlocking parts covered and out of the way of other structure parts of the building. Additionally, the flange of each slot is held in touching arrangement or close proximity to the catch so as to aid in holding the mating parts in engagement with each other. The slots also form a means for guiding the mating parts together during assembly.

A ceramic tile liner 26 which comes in short sections is lowered one at a time from the top end of the chimney into position with the first one fitting over and around flange 13 which is on top of the firebox or platfonn 12.

The first ceramic tile section as well as all the rest which are placed one on top of the other all the way to the top of the chimney are handled with a special expanding and retracting grappling tool which works on the inside of the flue and uses two ropes for operation. If necessary a little sealing compound can be applied to the top edges of each tile member as it is lowered into position.

The fitting and assembly of the metallic extruded members are done in a horizontal position and then the assembly is placed in the proper upright position in the building and secured without the ceramic tile liner while the building is still under construction. At this point the ceramic tile is lowered into the assembled metallic members.

It should also be noted that the flanges of members 15, 16, 17 and 18 are held against the catches by the ceramic tile against which the flanges of the members abut.

In order to cool the air space between the cover formed by members l5, l6 and l7, l8 and the ceramic tile the members of each pair are provided with louvers 27 and 28, respectively, extend from the base upwardly of the members a predetermined distance.

The top of the chimney is provided with a slanting trim cover 30 which extends from the outer periphery of the ceramic tile over the top edges of members 15, 16 and I7, 18 to keep weather, birds and animals out of the space between the ceramic tile and the extruded members. The trim cover provides an opening 31 for venting the cooling air drawn in through louvers 27 and 28 placed near the bottom of the chimney.

Although but one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the structure shown without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A chimney comprising:

a first pair of extruded elongated right angular metallic members of substantially identical configuration;

a second pair of extruded elongated right angular metallic members of substantially identical configuration;

one side of each member having an inturned flange turned back on itself to form an open ended slot extending substantially parallel with and outwardly of the side of th member;

a protuberance formed within each slot;

a complementary snap locking means formed at the edge of each of the other sides of said members for engaging with one of said protuberances;

one of said members of one of said pairs being alternately arranged with one of said members of said other pair to form a column with each of said other sides of said members fitting into a different slot of an adjacent member;

said slots guiding said catches of said members into snap locking engagement with said protuberance to interlock said members into a column configuration; and

a ceramic tile arranged within said column for forming a lining for said chimney.

2. The chimney set forth in claim 1 in further combination with louvers arranged near the bottom end of each of said members.

3. The chimney set forth in claim I in further combination with a base, and a flange vertically extending from said base, and wherein said tile is formed around said latter flange to extend vertically therefrom.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein each flange of said members is in contact with a surface of said tile to maintain said snap-locking means in engagement with one of the protuberances.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3 in further combination with a cover spaced from and extending outwardly of the upper peripheral end of said tile over the upper ends of said members. 

1. A chimney comprising: a first pair of extruded elongated right angular metallic members of substantially identical configuration; a second pair of extruded elongated right angular metallic members of substantially identical configuration; one side of each member having an inturned flange turned back on itself to form an open ended slot extending substantially parallel with and outwardly of the side of the member; a protuberance formed within each slot; a complementary snap locking means formed at the edge of each of the other sides of said members for engaging with one of said protuberances; one of said members of one of said pairs being alternately arranged with one of said members of said other pair to form a column with each of said other sides of said members fitting into a different slot of an adjacent member; said slots guiding said catches of said members into snap locking engagement with said protuberance to interlock said members into a column configuration; and a ceramic tile arranged within said column for forming a lining for said chimney.
 2. The chimney set forth in claim 1 in further combination with louvers arranged near the bottom end of each of said members.
 3. The chimney set forth in claim 1 in further combination with a base, and a flange vertically extending from said base, and wherein said tile is formed around said latter flange to extend vertically therefrom.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein each flange of said members is in contact with a surface of said tile to maintain said snap-locking means in engagement with one of the protuberances.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 3 in further combination with a cover spaced from and extending outwardly of the upper peripheral end of said tile over the upper ends of said members. 